Musical soap dispenser

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for dispensing soap and encouraging washing hands long enough to kill germs and bacteria. The apparatus comprises a container having a predetermined size and a predetermined shape for holding a predetermined volume of a liquid soap mixture. A dispensing means is engageable with the container for delivering a predetermined quantity of the liquid soap mixture, the dispensing means includes a pump member. There is a chip member disposed in such dispensing means and connected for activation by the pump member for providing a musical reminder on the importance of cleanliness.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is closely related to and claims benefit from U.S.Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/668,008 filed Apr. 4, 2005.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates, in general, to a soap dispenser, and,more particularly, the present invention relates to a soap dispenserwith a chip disposed in the cap portion that provides a melody when suchdispenser is used to encourage children and even adults to wash theirhands for a predetermined time.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

It has widely recommended that all people wash their hands frequently todestroy many of the germs that cause viruses, colds and other diseases.However, even though this fact is well known many people, children andadults, merely go through the motion of washing their hands. Many justrinse their hands with water without using soap, while some merely wavetheir hands under a stream of water and go.

It is recommended by the CDC (Center For Disease Control) that peopleshould wash their hands with an antibacterial soap and should wash theirhands for a period of at least 15 seconds and probably even up to 20seconds. It is difficult to get people to wash their hands for thisperiod of time. For some people the 15 or 20 seconds may seem like aneternity. This problem is even more prevalent with children who aregenerally adverse to washing their hands anyway.

Thus, it would be advantageous if there were some means to encouragepeople, particularly children, to wash their hands and even more so towash them long enough to kill germs.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In a first aspect the present invention provides an apparatus fordispensing soap and encouraging washing hands long enough to kill germsand bacteria. The apparatus comprises a container having a predeterminedsize and a predetermined shape for holding a predetermined volume of aliquid soap mixture. A dispensing means is engageable with the containerfor delivering a predetermined quantity of the liquid soap mixture, thedispensing means includes a pump member. There is a chip member disposedin such dispensing means and connected for activation by the pump memberfor providing a musical reminder on the importance of cleanliness.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

It is, therefore, one of the primary objects of the present invention toprovide a soap dispenser which when activated will play a musicalreminder to wash hands properly.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a soap dispenserwhich will play music for a predetermined period of time.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a soapdispenser that will encourage children to wash heir hands.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a soapdispenser that is activated when a pump handle is depressed. Anotherobject of the present invention is to provide a soap dispenser whichwill play the alphabet song so as to make washing hands appealing foryoung children.

These and various other objects and advantages of this invention willbecome apparent after a full reading of the following detaileddescription, particularly, when read in conjunction with the attacheddrawings as described below and the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the apparatus according to an embodimentof the invention.

FIG. 2 is perspective view of the pump portion of the apparatus showingmusic coming from the apparatus.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENTLY PREFERRED AND ALTERNATE EMBODIMENTSOF THE INVENTION

Prior to proceeding with the more detailed description of the presentinvention it should be noted that, for the sake of clarity, identicalcomponents which have identical functions have been designated byidentical reference numerals throughout the several views illustrated inthe drawings.

The present invention provides an apparatus, generally designated 10,for dispensing soap and encouraging washing hands long enough to killgerms and bacteria. The apparatus 10 comprises a container 2 having apredetermined size and a predetermined shape for holding a predeterminedvolume of a liquid soap mixture. A dispensing means, generallydesignated 20, is engageable with the container for delivering apredetermined quantity of the liquid soap mixture, the dispensing means20 includes a pump member 4. There is a chip member 6 disposed in suchdispensing means 20 and connected for activation by the pump member 4for providing a musical reminder on the importance of cleanliness.

Such chip member 6 when activated by depressing the handle 8 of the pumpmember 4 provides a musical reminder for a predetermined period of time.Such predetermined period of time is at least sufficient to kill mostgerms. It is generally believed by medical health personnel, such as theCenter for Disease Control, that this time is a time of between about 15and about 20 seconds.

Such pump member 4 has a handle 8 that is depressed to release theliquid antibacterial soap mixture as well as activating the musical chipmember 6.

Such apparatus 10 is reusable. That is when the soap which is anantibacterial soap mixture is used up the apparatus can be refilled overand over again. Such container 2 is formed of one of plastic or glass.It is presently preferred that such container 2 is made of plastic and,further, that such plastic is blow molded.

It is also preferred that such musical reminder is a song. Since theapparatus 10 is primarily designed to encourage young children to washtheir hands thoroughly it is recommended that such song be the alphabetsong with possibly the following lyrics:

-   -   “ABCDEFG HIJKLMNOP QRS and TUV WXY and Z Now I've washed my        hands you see Aren't you very proud of me”

Children need encouragement to wash their hands and possibly the abovelyrics may cause them to sing along while they wash their hands and thuswash for such predetermined time of between 15 and 20 seconds asrecommended by the Center for Disease Control.

While a presently preferred embodiment and alternate embodiments of thepresent invention has been described in detail above, it should beunderstood that various other adaptations and/or modifications of theinvention can be made by those persons who are particularly skilled inthe art without departing from either the spirit of the invention or thescope of the appended claims.

1. An apparatus for dispensing soap and encouraging washing hands longenough to kill germs and bacteria, said apparatus comprising: (a) acontainer having a predetermined size and a predetermined shape forholding a predetermined volume of a liquid soap mixture; (b) adispensing means engageable with said container for delivering apredetermined quantity of said liquid soap mixture, said dispensingmeans including a pump member; (c) a chip member disposed in saiddispensing means and connected for activation by said pump member forproviding a musical reminder on the importance of cleanliness.
 2. Theapparatus, according to claim 1, wherein said chip member when activatedprovides a musical reminder for a predetermined period of time.
 3. Theapparatus, according to claim 2, wherein said predetermined period oftime is at least sufficient to kill most germs.
 4. The apparatus,according to claim 2, wherein said predetermined period of time is atime between about 15 and about 20 seconds.
 5. The apparatus, accordingto claim 1, wherein said pump member has a handle that is depressed torelease said liquid soap mixture.
 6. The apparatus, according to claim5, wherein said chip member is activated when said pump handle isdepressed.
 7. The apparatus, according to claim 1, wherein saidapparatus is reusable.
 8. The apparatus, according to claim 1, whereinsaid liquid soap mixture is an antibacterial soap mixture.
 9. Theapparatus, according to claim 1, wherein said container is one ofplastic and glass.
 10. The apparatus, according to claim 9, wherein saidcontainer is plastic.
 11. The apparatus, according to claim 10, whereinsaid plastic is blow molded.
 12. The apparatus, according to claim 1,wherein said musical reminder is a song.
 13. The apparatus, according toclaim 12, wherein said song is an alphabet song.